1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a developing device for forming a color developing image using a revolver type developing device in such image forming apparatus as electro-photographic apparatus, printers, etc.
2. Description of the Related Art
In multi-color image forming apparatus equipped with plural developing units around a photosensitive drum, a multi-color image forming apparatus with a handle provided to each of developing units for removing them in the normal direction of developing sleeves is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 9-152757. However, this conventional multi-color image forming apparatus lacks a space for individually arranging plural developing units around a photosensitive drum and the downsizing is impeded.
On the other hand, in order to achieve the downsizing, an image forming apparatus having plural developing units, for example, 3 developing units for supplying yellow (Y), magenta (M) and cyan (C) toners installed to a single revolving holder and further, a revolver type developing device to develop images formed on a photosensitive drum by rotating a revolving holder with a developing unit to supply black (BK) toner added by arranging developing units in prescribed color sequentially at an opposite position to a photosensitive drum are developed in recent years. This revolving type developing device is devised to achieve the further downsizing of the main body of an image forming apparatus by providing toner cartridges in the developing units.
In this revolving type developing device, there is no space for installing handles, etc. for removing the developing units from the revolving holder. Therefore, when replacing the developing units during the maintenance, a serviceman removes developing units from a revolving holder by grasping the handle directly, etc. in a method easy to take out the developing unit carefully so as not to contaminate his hand.
However, it is difficult to grasp a developing unit less handle and when removing developing units from a revolving holder, a worker may touch developing rollers and contaminate his hand or a developing unit may be dropped accidentally and damaged and further, the periphery may be contaminated by a developing unit when dropped and the operability may be deteriorated.
Accordingly, it is so far desired to obtain a revolving type developing device that has the superior operability and high reliability by removing developing units from the revolving holder easily and safely without contaminating a hand and impeding the downsizing of the main body of the developing device.
An object of the present invention is to remove developing units of a revolving type developing device easily and certainly from a revolving holder when replacing them by grasping them without contaminating a hand or dropping them and to improve the operability and reliability during the maintenance work.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, a developing device comprising: plural developing units that have developer containers to house developers to be supplied detachably in a hollow holding member and supply different color developers to an image carrier and a revolver that supports the plural developing units in the replaceable state is provided and this developing device is capable of rotating the plural developing units en block to place a desired developing unit opposite to the image carrier; and is characterized in that the openings are formed on the holding member to insert the developer containers into the holding member when the developer containers are removed.
Further, according to the embodiment of the present invention, an image forming apparatus comprising: an image carrier; a latent image forming unit to form a latent image on the image carrier; plural developing units having developer containers housing supply developers detachably by a hollow shaped holding member and supply developers in different colors to the image carrier; and a revolver provided rotatably in the main body of an apparatus, supports the plural developing units in the replaceable state and rotates the plural developing units en block to bring a desired developing unit to a point opposite to the image carrier, is characterized in that openings are formed on the holding members to insert the developing containers in the holding members when the developer containers are removed.